How Long Will It Take To Lose 50 Pounds With A 1,200 Calorie Diet?

The best way to lose weight is gradually by eating a healthy, low-calorie diet and exercising. Under certain circumstances, a doctor may prescribe a very-low-calorie diet, but otherwise it's best that men stay above 1,500 calories a day and women stay above 1,200 a day, according to MedlinePlus.com, the National Institutes of Health's website. Although 1,200 calories a day may work for you, consult your doctor before beginning any weight loss or exercise program.

Basal Metabolic Rate

Everyone has a certain number of calories they need to consume to maintain basic bodily functions, such as cell growth and repair. This number is referred to as the basal metabolic rate, or BMR. Most people burn between 60 to 75 percent of their calories every day just from their BMR alone, according to MayoClinic.com. Your BMR is a fairly static number that doesn't easily change, although it is affected by your size and mass, your age and your sex. Larger people burn more calories even when at rest. Men burn more calories than women, and everyone tends to burn fewer calories as they age.

Calories

Most adults older than 18 years of age who are sedentary burn between 1,800 and 2,600 calories a day, depending on sex, age and size, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This includes the BMR and activities of daily living, such as walking up stairs or simply moving around. If you are on a 1,200 calorie a day diet, this translates to a caloric deficit between 600 and 1,400 calories a day even before exercising. That amounts to a 4,200 to 9,800 caloric deficit a week. Because it takes an excess expenditure of 3,500 calories to burn 1 lb. of fat, at this pace, you will lose between 1 to 3 lbs. per week. A loss of 50 lbs. would take between 4 to 12 months. It would be less time, of course, if you add in exercise.

Exercise

Even though you can lose the 1 to 3 lbs. a week without exercise, and it is in the recommended range of weight loss per week, it's not particularly healthy to do it that way. The best and longest lasting way to lose the weight is through combining exercise and diet. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends exercising for 60 to 90 minutes at moderate intensity most days of the week for healthy weight loss. Exercise not only burns calories, but it also lowers your resting heart rate, builds muscles, reduces stress and helps you sleep better.

Considerations

A total of 1,200 calories a day is on the low end of the recommended caloric intake, especially if you are a man. Consult your doctor to discuss whether it is right for you. In some cases, doctors prescribe a diet that low and sometimes even lower, in some cases, 500 to 800 calories a day, but that is usually temporary and needs to be monitored to avoid health issues. If you are not getting enough calories, your body's metabolism will slow down, thereby burning less calories, and it may turn to valuable lean muscle instead of fat for energy. Losing weight gradually through exercise and diet will help build sensible, reasonable habits that will not only burn off the 50 lbs. but will also help keep it off long after the initial weight loss.